medical essays-第30章
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orgive him。
THE CONTAGIOUSNESS OF PUERPERAL FEVER。
In collecting； enforcing； and adding to the evidence accumulated upon this most serious subject； I would not be understood to imply that there exists a doubt in the mind of any well…informed member of the medical profession as to the fact that puerperal fever is sometimes communicated from one person to another； both directly and indirectly。 In the present state of our knowledge upon this point I should consider such doubts merely as a proof that the sceptic had either not examined the evidence； or； having examined it； refused to accept its plain and unavoidable consequences。 I should be sorry to think； with Dr。 Rigby； that it was a case of 〃oblique vision；〃 I should be unwilling to force home the argumentum ad hominem of Dr。 Blundell； but I would not consent to make a question of a momentous fact which is no longer to be considered as a subject for trivial discussions； but to be acted upon with silent promptitude。 It signifies nothing that wise and experienced practitioners have sometimes doubted the reality of the danger in question； no man has the right to doubt it any longer。 No negative facts； no opposing opinions； be they what they may； or whose they may； can form any answer to the series of cases now within the reach of all who choose to explore the records of medical science。
If there are some who conceive that any important end would be answered by recording such opinions； or by collecting the history of all the cases they could find in which no evidence of the influence of contagion existed； I believe they are in error。 Suppose a few writers of authority can be found to profess a disbelief in contagion；and they are very few compared with those who think differently；is it quite clear that they formed their opinions on a view of all the facts； or is it not apparent that they relied mostly on their own solitary experience？ Still further； of those whose names are quoted； is it not true that scarcely a single one could by any possibility have known the half or the tenth of the facts bearing on the subject which have reached such a frightful amount within the last few years？ Again； as to the utility of negative facts； as we may briefly call them；instances； namely； in which exposure has not been followed by disease；although； like other truths； they may be worth knowing； I do not see that they are like to shed any important light upon the subject before us。 Every such instance requires a good deal of circumstantial explanation before it can be accepted。 It is not enough that a practitioner should have had a single case of puerperal fever not followed by others。 It must be known whether he attended others while this case was in progress； whether he went directly from one chamber to others； whether he took any； and what precautions。 It is important to know that several women were exposed to infection derived from the patient； so that allowance may be made for want of predisposition。 Now if of negative facts so sifted there could be accumulated a hundred for every one plain instance of communication here recorded； I trust it need not be said that we are bound to guard and watch over the hundredth tenant of our fold； though the ninety and nine may be sure of escaping the wolf at its entrance。 If any one is disposed； then； to take a hundred instances of lives endangered or sacrificed out of those I have mentioned； and make it reasonably clear that within a similar time and compass ten thousand escaped the same exposure； I shall thank him for his industry； but I must be permitted to hold to my own practical conclusions； and beg him to adopt or at least to examine them also。 Children that walk in calico before open fires are not always burned to death； the instances to the contrary may be worth recording； but by no means if they are to be used as arguments against woollen frocks and high fenders。
I am not sure that this paper will escape another remark which it might be wished were founded in justice。 It may be said that the facts are too generally known and acknowledged to require any formal argument or exposition； that there is nothing new in the positions advanced； and no need of laying additional statements before the Profession。 But on turning to two works； one almost universally； and the other extensively appealed to as authority in this country； I see ample reason to overlook this objection。 In the last edition of Dewees's Treatise on the 〃Diseases of Females；〃 it is expressly said； 〃In this country； under no circumstance that puerperal fever has appeared hitherto； does it afford the slightest ground for the belief that it is contagious。〃 In the 〃Philadelphia Practice of Midwifery〃 not one word can be found in the chapter devoted to this disease which would lead the reader to suspect that the idea of contagion had ever been entertained。 It seems proper； therefore； to remind those who are in the habit of referring to these works for guidance； that there may possibly be some sources of danger they have slighted or omitted； quite as important as a trifling irregularity of diet； or a confined state of the bowels； and that whatever confidence a physician may have in his own mode of treatment； his services are of questionable value whenever he carries the bane as well as the antidote about his person。
The practical point to be illustrated is the following：
The disease known as Puerperal Fever is so far contagious as to be frequently carried from patient to patient by physicians and nurses。
Let me begin by throwing out certain incidental questions； which； without being absolutely essential； would render the subject more complicated； and by making such concessions and assumptions as may be fairly supposed to be without the pale of discussion。
1。 It is granted that all the forms of what is called puerperal fever may not be； and probably are not； equally contagious or infectious。 I do not enter into the distinctions which have been drawn by authors； because the facts do not appear to me sufficient to establish any absolute line of demarcation between such forms as may be propagated by contagion and those which are never so propagated。 This general result I shall only support by the authority of Dr。 Ramsbotham； who gives； as the result of his experience； that the same symptoms belong to what he calls the infectious and the sporadic forms of the disease； and the opinion of Armstrong in his original Essay。 If others can show any such distinction； I leave it to them to do it。 But there are cases enough that show the prevalence of the disease among the patients of a single practitioner when it was in no degree epidemic； in the proper sense of the term。 I may refer to those of Mr。 Roberton and of Dr。 Peirson； hereafter to be cited； as examples。
2。 I shall not enter into any dispute about the particular mode of infection； whether it be by the atmosphere the physician carries about him into the sick…chamber； or by the direct application of the virus to the absorbing surfaces with which his hand comes in contact。 Many facts and opinions are in favor of each of these modes of transmission。 But it is obvious that in the majority of cases it must be impossible to decide by which of these channels the disease is conveyed； from the nature of the intercourse between the physician and the patient。
3。 It is not pretended that the contagion of puerperal fever must always be followed by the disease。 It is true of all contagious diseases； that they frequently spare those who appear to be fully submitted to their influence。 Even the vaccine virus； fresh from the subject； fails every day to produce its legitimate effect； though every precaution is taken to insure its action。 This is still more remarkably the case with scarlet fever and some other diseases。
4。 It is granted that the disease may be produced and variously modified by many causes besides contagion； and more especially by epidemic and endemic influences。 But this is not peculiar to the disease in question。 There is no doubt that small…pox is propagated to a great extent by contagion； yet it goes through the same periods of periodical increase and diminution which have bee
